Tours in Review | International Travel News

October 2006 issue

Mali, Senegal and Gambia with Travel Dynamics

I read with great interest the reader’s letter about Mali (July ’06, pg. 66). Our tour of Mali in February ’06 was considerably different, covering much the same venue but in a different fashion, with less driving and camping time. Our tour was with a group of 29 put together by Travel Dynamics (132 East 70th St., New York, NY 10021; 800/257-5767, www.traveldynamicsinternational.com), which we booked through Rex Travel (Chicago, IL; 800/777-7739, www.rextravel.com).

Travel Dynamics’ “The Road to Timbuktu” trip left every week in January and February and lasted 14 days. We spent...

February 2004 issue

Burma with Asian Trails

So many travel stories have been printed about the wonders of Burma (Myanmar), we decided to check it out. We are grateful we did. In November ’02 my husband and I were there for 17 days and had our own amazing 15-day tour. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t stay longer.

The tour company which made our arrangements was Asian Trails, Ltd. (15th Floor, Mercury Tower, 540 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; phone [66 2] 658-6080-9, e-mail res@asiantrails.org or visit www.asiantrails.com). Our contact with them was with Ms. Chaw Su; she answered each of our e-mailed...

May 2004 issue

Turkey with Treasures of Travel

I took a 3-week tour of eastern Turkey and the Black Sea area, April 22-May 14, ’02, with Treasures of Turkey, now known as Treasures of Travel (Box 714, Edmonds, WA 98020; phone 800/572-0526 or 425/775-2250, fax 425/771-6723). Including one domestic flight and a boat cruise to Akdamar Island in Van, the land cost of the trip was $2,800 plus a $525 single supplement. (In 2004 this tour, for 26 days, starts at $2,400, with the single supplement $480.)

Our tour guide was the company’s owner, Umit Dogan. I cannot say enough nice things about him and our driver, Yashir. Everything...

February 2004 issue

Morocco with General Tours

We took the 8-day “PriceBuster Morocco” tour with General Tours (53 Summer St., Keene, NH 03481; phone 800/221-2216 or visit www.generaltours.com) in March ’02.

We traveled to Casablanca (a big, busy city with little romantic ambiance); Marrakech (its wide, new boulevards, palm trees and resort hotels contrasted with narrow lanes, old buildings and souks; the French influence was particularly evident); Fez (the complete atmosphere of the medina is to be experienced — crowded and colorful), and Rabat.

We also did a day trip to the old Portuguese colony of El Jadida — quite...

May 2004 issue

Kenya and South Africa with South African Airways Holidays

My son and I left on Dec. 4, ’03, for an 11-day South Africa and Kenya trip offered by South African Airways Holidays (814 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Ste. 203, Coral Gables, FL 33134; phone 888/777-1138 or visit www. saaholidays.net).

After a 14-hour direct flight from Atlanta to Cape Town, we enjoyed two days and nights of touring in Cape Town, then flew via Johannesburg to Nairobi, where we began an 8-day, 1,200-kilometer Kenya safari.

Our accommodations in the Samburu National Game Reserve, Aberdare National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve were...

February 2004 issue

East Europe

My husband and I were very pleased with the travel arrangements made for us by MIR Corporation (85 South Washington St., Ste. 210, Seattle, WA 98104; phone 800/424-7289 or visit www.mircorp.com). We used their group tour to Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Romania followed by their Bulgaria post-tour as models for our “independent traveler” trip. (The itineraries can be found on the website, so we won’t go into any detail).

We had concerns about the logistics of the transitions between guides and countries, but the technical aspects of the trip went flawlessly. In Belarus, Ukraine and...

May 2004 issue

South India

I arranged a 12-day tour to India, Feb. 4-16, ’04, through Vacations International (725 E. Chubbuck Rd., Chubbuck, ID 83202; phone 888/453-0832 or 208/406-1360, e-mail info@vacations-international.com or visit www. vacations-international.com).

The local agency they used was Moksha Tours & Travels (Madurai, India; visit www.mokshatours.com).

This was an independent tour. I was met at each airport by a representative from Vacations International as well as a guide and driver from Moksha Tours. I stayed in 3-star hotels which were clean and ate delicious meals in the hotel...

February 2004 issue

Ukraine with Kolos Corporation

We learned about the archaeology of the Trypillian Bronze Age during our 11-day trip to Ukraine, June 27-July 7, ’02, but we also saw many interesting medieval and later sites and met many interesting people in this newly independent state.

Our tour with Kolos Corporation (5841 Colfax Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311-1013; phone 703/593-8522, e-mal kolos@kolos.com or visit www.kolos.com) cost $1,100, land. (The 2004 “Tryptillian Tour,” taking place June 28-July 8, will cost $1,650 land only.) A few non-included meals and extras added up to less than $100.

We also gave substantial...